Brick-laying machine.



1. THOMSON. BRICK LAYING MACHINE. armcmou mm m. :1. ma.

1,277,777. I Patenmd Sept. 3, 1918.

5 UNITS-:SHEET 2.

J. THOMSON. BUCK LAYING MACHINE. APPLICATIOII men Am. 21 Ian;

J. THOMSON.

BRICK LAYING MACHINE,

APPLICATION man my 21.

IBM"

Patented Sept. 3, 1918-.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN THQMSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BRICK-LAYING MACHINE.

To all whom it ma? concern:

and improved organized inechanisl'n for automatically laying bricks. in a wall. A number of constituent mechanisms enter into the make-up of the machine, and contributory objects may be said to be to provide simple and etficient means, first, for advancing the machine as a whole along the wall; second, to support and release the bricks which are to enterinto the Wall; third, to

set or position the bricks horizontally; fourtln to or position the bricks vertically; fifth, to feed the mortar in the amounts re quired; sixth, to temporarily support the brick prior to its fine setting; seventh, to support the machine as a whole from the lower finished portion of the wall; eighth, to smooth the-mortar at the surface ofthe wall and retain it while being spread. Other contributory objects will become ap parent as the description proceeds.

I accomplish my objects by the Ihechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which: i

.Fi ure 1 is a side elevation "of .the as semb ed machine as it appears in the act oi laying bricks. v

Fig. 2 is a. plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation, chiefly on the line '3---3, Fig; 2.

Fig. 4 is a, cross sectional elevation on the line l l, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5,

Fig. 6, showing part of the depressing or top setting mec mnisin for forcin the brick to settle down to proper levella ter it has been otherwise positioned.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the parts shown 7,, in Big. 0.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view onthe line 7-7, Fig. 1 showing the preferredjorln of Wall bracket and associated parts of the scaffOlCh v Specification-of Letters ratent.

Patented Sept. '3, 191 8.

Application filed April 2i, 1017. SerialNo. 163,545.

7 Fig. is aplan view of the bracket shown in Fig. 7. I

Fig. 9 is a verticalsection on the line 9-9, Fig. 10 showing the tripping mechanism for releasing the bricks.

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation on the line 10-40, Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a pressing or top setting 'Figs. 5 and 6.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the mecha nism for temporarily supporting the brick just prior to the time when it is finally positioned in the wall.

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 12.

mechanism shown in Fig. M is an elevation, chiefly incl-'oss sec;

tion, showing the carriages which help support the traveling scafiold upon the wall.

Fig. 15 is a sectional elevation 0n,thc, 1i11e.

traveling unit upon a frameworkwhich is.

detail ofportion of the de detail of the pin itself carried upon the wall. This frame.

work may, forfconveniende, be termed a.

scaffold. .It consists of two overhead tracks or ways l supported'upon posts 2. Said posts are in part supported upon horizonta ,are vertically adjustable."Beams 3 travel, upon roller-s4, as shoyvn in detail inFigs. 7 and 8. Said rollers-are carried by wall beams 3 with respect to which they brackets 5 which have'fingers 6 which enter between the courses of the bricks in the wall,

and thereby carry-the weight of the brackets and parts supported therehy.- I have prov vided sup lemental means for supporting 113118 scafiolt .'1he'-means in question-are car- 7 riages shown in'Fig. 1 and in detail in Figs. F 14 and 15. In the form. illustrated, the car .riages consist of bolsters 8 supported on rollers 9. Rising from the bolsters are heli cal compression springs 10 which sup )ort cap-like brackets 11 fastened to the ins! c-of the posts 2. Said )osts have vertical slots 12 which accoimnodate and guide studs 13 projecting from the bolsters. The springs help to distribute the weight so that the scaffold is carried partly by the brackets I) and partly by the carrrages or trucks just described.

The manhio'w pr0pc'r.--The general framework or body of the machine may be con siderably varied in detail, but in the form selected for illustration, there are two side plates '16, 16, which are suspended upon rods 17, 17. Said rods have casters 18 at their upper ends, which. roll upon the inside of the box-like beams of the turn table 19. These parts are shown in detail in Fig. 17. In the present form the turn table has both 1 n itudinal and cross ways, as best shown in 'ig. 2, and, in addition, a circular track 20, which permits turning the machine crosswise or to reverse. The turn table is suspended from rollers 21 which travel upon the tracks 1.

Located between and supported upon the side plates 16, above immtioned, are three chutes 23, 2 4 and 25. Chute 23 is for the storageof the longitudinal bricks or maticall y releasing the bricks at the'proper,

moment upon chute 23 is best shown in Figs.

1, 3, 9 "and 1.0. The chute is provided at the bottom with two fingers 27 and 28. These are mounted on the stationary pivots 29. and 30..respectively. 'lhey are joined by a connecting rod 3]., which e'auses them to operate in unison, although they rotate in opposite directions. They are norn'ially held in act y a spring 32,.which presses against a ca 5 formed at the upper end of finger 28. nger 27 has an arm projecting from it for retracting it at the proper. moment. This arm shown in detail in Fig. '10. It hasa )art 35 which is rigidly fastened to finger 2 Hinged to arm 35 isa trigger 36 which isyieldinglv held-in nor- .mal position by a spring 37. -'It will be suflicient for theyprcsent to say thalrtrig ger 36 is operated by one or the'jother of two tappets 39, 4.0, shown in F i. 9'and 10. These tappets are mounted (me manner presently to be described) upon a rack I V uently during the same cycle t returns.

bar 41, which travels rel-ativel y to the chute. When tappct 39 is moving, for example, toward the right,.l ig. .10,'it will pass trigger 36 and the spring 37 .willpermit the trigget to fyield and swing upon itshinge. But

when the parts move in the opposite direction and tappet 39 engages trigger 36, the trigger will. not yield-but will swin arm 35. toward" the left and rotate finger 2 in a clockwise direction about its pivot 29. This causes the fingers 27 and 28 to be retracted from the bottom of the lowest brick and permit the brick to fall into its preliminary position upon the wall.

At the upper end, finger 27 has a shoulder 43, see Fig. 3, which, when the finger 27 is retracted, passes under thecorncr of the next brick above and prevents it from dropping down until. the fingers have been restored to normal position. This restoration is accomplished by the spring 32 which, acting upon the spring 33, rotates the finger 28 in a clockwise direction. The finger 27 and shoulder 43 and. their cooperating parts thus virtually form an escapement, to insure that the brickswill released one at a time.

The releasing and escapement mechanism for chute- 24 is similar to the one for chute 23, and need not be described in detail. It is suflicient to say that the mechanism is operated by a rotatable arm This is slotted at its upper end to receive a pin 46 located on an arm ti rigidly roimccted to the finger 27. iricks laid as headers are an cxception rather than a rule in. a wall and. com

sequently, the arm 45 is normally left undisturbed. Wheu,.however, headers are to be laid, arm 45 is. actuated by a tappet i8 which is pivoted to rack bar 41, as shown in Fig. 3. This is s ding-pressed to rotate in a clockwise direction against the stationary pin 49,1nounted on said. rack bar. When standing upright, as indicated by dotted line in Fig. 3, this tappet will yield when -tion and I will now describe them.

During a certain portion of every cycle of operation of the machine, the rack'bar 41 hereinabove me ntioned, moves forward relatively'to the side plates 16. Subseform ofa- Geneva gearwheel. Ihisprovjded outward from t e rack burl; This is in the on its inner side with a. ratchet wheel 55, I p

stretcher for every cycle of operation of the machine, the tappet 39 will be rigidly held .5 upright so as to actuate the trigger 36 every time the rack bar moves toward the left,

ig. 10. The tappet is held in'this osition' "by inserting a pc into a suitab e aperture in the side 0% the rack bar, the shank of the peg passing through one of the notches in the Geneva gear wheel and there by locking Tit against rotation in either direction. But in removing peg '57, the Geneva gear whee and parts mounted'thereon becomepapable of rotating in an anticlockwise directiomfbut prevented from rotating in clockwise direction by pawl 56. a Let it be assumed that it is desired to lay a stretchereyery alternate cycle of operation. I .20,

In such 'case, a jointed peg 60'is inserted through a-sui'tableaperturc in adjacent side plate 316,,as shown in detail in Fig. 9. This "peg, W his shown in detall in Fig. 16, has

4' an ,innerend .61 joined to it by hinge pin 62.

.The parts are so. arranged that the inner "end will yield'when pressure is exerted in one irection, but will stand rigid when ressure is exerted in the opposite direction. ""jg hefparts are normally held in alinement Pa spring 63. The elements are'assembled u'ch nanner that when this jointed peg lace and the Geneva gear 53 moves the'right, the peg,,upon engaging .llrotats the gear wheel ninety degrees, bringing tappet 39 down to horizontal tion, where it will fail to reach the trig- ;sger 36. "Consequently, duringthe next cycle, fthere willbe nothing to operate said trigger and no brick will be releasedfrom the chute On the next cycle, however, the Geneva gear wheelwillbe rotated bypeg 60 another quarter turn, thus-bringing the tappet 40 to upright position, where it will actuate the 'triggerand cause a stretcher to be released. ThusLit .will ident that by employing posite points on the Geneva gear wheel and so designing said wheelthat it will 'be rostretcher will'be released ,ateach alternate cycle. onetappet, a stretcher will be release once ,in every ,four cycles. Consequently, the number of stretchers laid during any given number ofcycles may be varied by varying the-number of tappets in the Genevagear wheel. v I

- N extwill be described the means for'posi- .i'oning the brick and for causing ,the ma-, chineto advance along the wall.

I]. The main drive shaft is journaled in theside plates 16, as'tbest shown in Fig. 4. This shaft may be rotated manually or by any suitable form of power. Near its ends 1 two tappets 39 and 40 I at diametrically op- ,tatedzonequarter turn during each cycle, a I

By providing a wheel havin buttates the driving shaft until therack bars it has fastened to it pinions 66 which mesh 65 with racks 67 formed at the lower edge of the rack bars t1. When the shaft and pinions are rotated in a clockwise direction, the

rack bars, which are longitudinally slidable with respectto the side plates'l6 and the chutes 23, 24 and 25, move forward toward the right, Figs. 1 and 3). After t e bars have moved forward about 211 inches from thenormal position, shown in Figs. 1 and 3, they engage and rotate idler pinions 69 which are rigidly fastened to an idler shaft 70 journaled in the side plate 16. These idler pinions are in mesh with racks 71 p which are connected to and operate abar. ,72. This n'iay be termed the setting bar as it 8.0 is designed to engage the end of the brick' and move it longitudinally to final positlon in the wall. The setting bar normally occupies a position about half an inch from the brick lying in the position it assumes after being released from the chute 23. The pin- ;ions 66 on each side of the machine are in line with the pinions 69 and racks 71, although normally out of engagement with said racks, as will be seen by reference to Figs. 1 and 3, But after the racks 67 have reached the pinions 69 and rotated them'aslight distance, the'driving pinions '66 engage and operate the racks 71 and this action continues until the brick is moved from .:prelirninary position up against the end of the previously laid brick. About the time this happens, the driving pinion's 66 reach the rear end of the racks 67 and hence cease advancing said racks. They remain in mesh withthe racks 71, however, and as theycontinue to rotate, and as the brick has moved rearward as Iar as it can go, the result is that the machine as a whole moves forward on the tracks 1 of the scaffold. This ad vance's the machine to a new setting position. When the machine has arrived at the new setting position, the operator causes the driving shaft 65 to cease rotating. At this time, the 'racks'67 are in engagement with cushion springs 74 carried by stationary brackets 7 5.v These springs constantly urge the racks rearward and consequently when the operator causes the drive shaft 65" to rotate in the return direction, the racks 67 .will immediately mesh with the driving pinions 66 and travel backward tonormal position. At. the same time, the racks 71 will move forward, toward the right, and will continue to do so "until they have passed out of v mesh with the driving pinions .66. When this happens, said racks 71' and the setting bar 72 will have reached normal position. It will .thus be seen that, the operator 1'0- 41 have moved forward as far as they will go and have left the driving pinions, and until the racks 71 have moved backward un- B platform which will now setting the shaft 80 iii they have not only positioned the brick but have advanced the machine to a fresh position. l.hereupon, the operator causes t to driving pinions to operate in a reverse direction and return the rack bars and setting bar to normal position.

The mortar 'delive1'ing mechanisn'i will next. be explained: The mortar chute 25, previously mentioned, is preferably constructed with hollow walls to enable it to be warmed by steam, or otherwise, during cold weather. The chutes have a spout 78, having inside of it a helical conveyor 79, whereof is driven by a gear wheel 81 meshing with a Worm 82, as best shown in Fig. 3. Said worm is fastened to a shaft 83 provided ,with a sprocket 84 driven by a chain 85 from a sprocket 8G. Said sprocket. is centered upon and driven. in one direction from a shaft 87 to which is keyed a sliniuded gear wheel 88 which. liiflSllQh with the rack 8'1}, which forms an extension of tile rack 71. The parts are so constructed that while the rack 89 recipro catcs back and forth and consequently ro tates the gear wheel 88 and shaft 87 back and forth, the helical onveyor 79 rotates only in the direction to cause the mortar to descend. This result is obtained by providing an overrunning clutch between s'iaft 87 and sprocket 86. As this type of clutch is Well known, beingin fact, illustrated at the left end of Fig. 5 ofthe present drawings, no description is necessary, itbeing snfi'icient to state that in the present machine the parts .are so designed that when the body of the machine travels forward, the mortar will be delivered, but when the operating parts of the machine are being: returned to normal position, the ronvcyer 79 will re main still. The. rack 9 forming a part of the same member which forms th. rack Ti and setting bar '72, has the same )vcment as the setting bar. it will. be recalled however, that the sctt in g bar moves rearward an inch and one-hall or so to engage and setthe brick before the body of the machine commences to travel forward. In my machine, during this preliminary backward movement of the setting bar, no rotating efi ect is prothiced in the shrouded gear wheel number of teeth from the rack body of the machine 88. This result is obtained by omitting a 89 so that the rack teeth actually remaining will not commence to engage wheel 88 untiltho setting bar lias'conii'iletcd the positioning of the brickand has commcncml to move the forward along the wall.

During the act of setting, the brick is temporarily supported. upon a withdrawal'ile be described VVhena stretcher is released from the chute 23. it falls not upon the wall itself, but upon a platform which is shown in detail in Figs. 12 and 13. This platform is preferably made of longitudinally extcndmg rods 92, connected at the front end by a cross-bar 93.

lartitionsb l. SBpHl'ttl'O each ncighhon'gnnd by ')reterence, there are two, of the rods between each pair of partitions or separation; The outcrn'icyst partitions also serve to rcvent the mortar from escaping at the si es of the wall. The spout 7 8 delivers to the rear of the cross bar. 93 and the. nose of the spout rests upon the top of the rods 94. Consequently, the rods act as a gage to determine the thickness of'the mortar on the top of the wall. If a thicker bed is wanted, rods of greater diameter are en'iployed.

The outermost. partitions 94: are connected by links J5 to ar s 96 which are pivoted upon stationary studs 97. These arms are swung back and forth at proper times by links 98,. whichicarry studs 99 at their upper ends whicli travel in slots 100 in arms 96. Links 98 are actuated by the idler shaft 70, previously mentioned. "The shaft 'iasscs through the links 98 and, in traveling Forward and backward, moves said links, and through them the arms 96 and the bricksupporting platform. The timing of the parts is such. that the platform will receive the brick when the latter is released from the chute and will remain stationary while the brick is being slid backward to final position in the wall. It will therel'lpon be retracted with a comparativel rapid move ment, leaving the brick in p. ace. By em ploying rods to support the brick, there plenty of space left for mortar and, furthermore, friction is reduced to a minimun'i. In case the bricks are being discharged from the l'readcrr-hnte 24-, they are delivered 'to the platform by an inclined plane 102, which located nnderneath the header chute, as best shown in Fig. 3.

The means for depressing the brick into i it dewise is )lace and for positioning v 5 and 6. The

illustrated in detail in Figs. bricks are depressed by cams 105, mounted on shafts 106. These shaftsare journaled in brackets 41 and are rotated by means of pin'ions 108 and 109 which are rotated respectively by stationary racks 110 and 111. These are staggered for non-interference. and in moving orward, the pinion "108 011- gages its rack 119 at the, same tiniethat the pinion 109 engages its rack 111.- The racks are fastened on the inside of the side plates 16. "cams and pinions travel forward as them chine travels forward, but do rota until they overlie the new set brick upon the ,raoks' and. thereby rotate the cams which forcethc bricks down to brick from its.

The operation is such that'thethe proper level in,

' clutches consisting of notched disks 113 containing clutchhells 1.14;, as shown at thethe brick firmly to abed and-at the same,

the mortar. The cams donot rotate on. the reverse motion because the pinionsare connected to the shafts by over-running,

left end of Fig. 5,

-' tion where the The cams just described constitute depressing or top setting .,,members.' I will now describe the side. setting members and their operating parts 5 a 1 The bricks are positioned "sidewise; by plates 117 which are normall -urgediniua' (1 toward the side of the wall by helical-com )ression springs 118 which are interposed etween said plate and the-'bracketsfi, as best shown in Fi 6. Plates 11'? are nor mally held away mm the walliby end carn 119 which normally occupy'acentral will engage fin ers 120 formed in the side lates, as best s own in Fig. 11. The side p ates have apertures 121 in them to accommodate the hubs ofthe cams 105, and the fingers .120 project -r adif ally inward-from the margin of the aperture. When the cams 119 are in engage inent with the,{ fingers, the side plates will be held in, non-acting position, but as soon as the camsfbeginto rotate,th.ey leave the fingers and permit the springs 118-to force the lat'es 11? toward the side of'the Wali.

Theop'ei'ation of the-machine as a;whole will'now be readily understood. After the scaffolding has been positioned and; the ope'ratin parts of the machine placed, all that t- .e o erator has to do is to rotatethe drive sha t 65. Assuming the parts to be in normal or initial position, shown in l. and 3, the operator will first rotate shaft in a clockwise direction. This will first move the racks '67 forward untilthey lengage the idler pinions 69 whereupon, the latter will move the racks 71 backward and cause the setting bar 72 to push the brick back into its final position in the wall, The operator continues to rotate the shaft-in the same direction, and as the setting bar is firmly held a ainst movement bythe brick.

V the body of t e machine will be moved forward and cause the cams tqdepress the brick and also permit the side setting plates. 117 to position the brick laterally. At the same time, the racks 89 come into mesh with the gear wheels 88 and cause mortar to be delivered onto the top of the wall. During this part of [the program, also, the rods 92 and partitions 9 move forward out from under the bricks. I During this part of the movement also, the tappets 39 engage the triggers 36 and release a fresh brick. There upon, the operator rotates the driving shaft in the opposite direction until the parts have again assumed the position shown in ifligs. 1 and 3. It will thus be seen that the action is entirely automatic, the whole opnote eration being accomplished by roperly manipulating the she 65. It wil also be that the machine produces what is nown as a shove joint, which is recognized asfb'eing advantageous for it forces time piles up the mortar infront ofit so as to gather'therea sufiic'ientquantity-for w on bricks are hand laid.

claim as new and desire to seCure' byg Letf brick'daying machinehavin'g lparts form'anipulating thebricks and mortar and a supportfor said parts sustained ent1rely by the Well being laid, said support having 75. inds thebrick in. the .wall. Thus, the ma- .chineproduces an' action simulating the acj tion r I; Having thus described my invention, what- H I tersPatent, 1s

engaging elements coiiperating with the wall below the top and further hav ng carria es running upon the top of. the wall where y one portion of the entire wei ht ()f the parts lstraneferred to the top of t 1e wall and. the

remaining .portion of the entire weight .to',

the wall below thjetop.

2. A buck iayin machine h avingparts for manipulating -t 1e bricks and mortar, a

support for said parts sustained entirely by the well being laid and having carriages traveling upon the top of the wall, sprin s for lacing one portion of the entire'weig t of t e parts upon thejcarriages, and. means on the support engaging thes de of thewall below the tpp for carrying the remainder of the entire weight of the parts.

3. In a brick laying machine, a setting bar for shovin' the brick backward into final position in the? wall, a drivin shaft, means adapted to be actuatedby sai shaft fqr'act. uating said setting bar, said, means, being normally nonoperative, wherebythe'action; of the setting bar is delayed until-after tlief shaft has rotated an appreciableyamount;

from normal position, and other means we ated by said shaft for bringing said -shaft into coiiperative relation with the first mentloned means. i

"4. In a brick laying machine, a setting.

bar for positioning the briclr longitudinally in the. wall, a reciprocating rack for actuatsaid bar, the movement of said rack in being confined to a straight line at all times, a inion normally out of: engagement with said rack but in line therewith, a power detpiniomand means actu-. evice for moving. said rack longitudinally into engagement with vice for driving said ated by said power said pinion. 5. In a br cklaying machine, a power e;

vice, asetting fonpositmn n I longitudinally in the wall, a-freb 1 setting bar longitudinalglfy 0 eratin said bar, a driving pinion operated by sa' ower device for actuating said rack said racr andv pinion being normally out of mesh, an idler pinion for moving sald rack pinion normally out of mesh'with' said rack,

and a second rack operated by said power pinion for operating said idler pinion to move the first mentioned rack into mesh with the power pinion.

7. A. brick laying mach-inc movable as a whole along the wall, said machine having a settii-ig bar for moving the brick to final position in the wall and subsequently cane mg the machine to advance along the wall, a rack for operating said. bar, a driving shaft journaled in said machine and capable of advancing it when said, shaft moved forward, and a pinion operated by said shaft, said pinion being adapted to mesh with said rack to first push back thesetting bar and then cause the machine to advance.

'8. A brick laying machine having a main frame, means for delivering brick from said frame onto the wall, an ecccntr'ic for pushing the brick down to a level in the mortar,

said eccentric being capable of both a rotary and a translatory movement relatively to the main frame and its acting surface having approximately constant eccentricity throughout a portion of its circumference whereby the depression of the brick is gradual, and means for causing said eccentric to roll along upon the upper surface of the brick, the eccentric consequently making rolling omit-actwith the brick and depressing the brick as the eccentric rolls forward.

9. A brick laying machine having a main frame, shoving means for pushing the brick horizontally to final position, an eccentric for depressing the brick in the mortar,

means for causing the-eccentric to make r0lling= contact with the top of-thebrick, and correlating means for timing the action of the eccentric to commence after the shoving means, has completed its action.

10. In a brick layingmachine, a traveling frame carrying the bricks and mortar, a

movable with respect tothemamf'rame r sliding the brick home -'l ong'itudinally,o means cooperating with'said-setting" bar for causing the mainframeto travei'forward n on the completion of the setting actio'n'o the setting bar, eccentrics for forcing the brick do\ nward, .sa-id eccentrics being rotatable and alsobemovable forward iggdily with respect to connections comin said main frame, and connections between said eccentrics and, the main frame, S id.

into cooperative relation only after Bait eccentrics have traveled part Way forward relatively to the frame. 11. In a brick laying machine, a traveling vframe carrying the bricks and mortar, a

setting bar longitudinally movable with re spec-t to the main frame for sliding the brick home longitudinally, means coii crating with said setting bar for causing t re main frame to travel forward upon the com letion of the setting action of the setting a1, eccentrics for forcing the brick downward, said eccentrics being rotatable and bodily movable relatively to the main. frame,pin'- ions rotatable and movable with said. eccen tries for rotating them, and racks upon the main frame for rotating said pinions'after said pinions have traveled forward. in the main frame.

' 12. In a brick laying machine, a traveling main frame wherein the bricks are stored, a power shaft journaled in said frame and traveling with it, bars movable longitudinally relatively to said main frame, de-

pressing cams jonrnaled in said bars, pinions traveling with said cams for rotating them, racks mounted rigidly in the main frame in line to be engaged iy said pinions when said bars are moved forward in the main frame, and means actuated by said drive shaft for moving said bars forward in the main frame.

111A brick laying machine, having a main frame movable along the wall, step by step, once for every complete {cycle of operation of the machine, 'bars longitudinally movable relatively to said main frame, side setting plates for positioning the bricks laterally in the wall, springs for urging said setting plates toward the wall, and. a cam device operated by said longitu inally movablegbars for alternately with iolding and releasing said setting pla.te,s=..

14. A brick laying machine having an in relatively to said frame,'side setting plates, I

springs for "forcing saidgsetting plates to- Ward the Wall, a rotaltableca m carried by said bars for alternately withholding and then releasing said plate, brought into co-a'ction by.

form for temporarily supporting a brick up n ,the' mortar-spread wall, a main frame .L'orm from neath tliebrick to ther mi't the buck to settle and gearingv I the forward movement of said bars for rotating- .said;

.15. A brick lay ng machine havinga-plat- 16. .A brick laying machine liavingamain frame traveling along the Wall, a magazine for bricks in said main frame, a platformadjacent to the top of the wall for receiving .the'bricks from the magazine, and automatic means for' subsequently withdrawing the platform from under the brick.

17. A brick laying machine having a platform adapted to lie adjacent to the top of-thewall, means in advance of said platform'for spreading mortar on the top of the wall, a main frame movable along the Wall for supporting said mortar-spreading means,

and means carried by said mainframe for "withdrawing the platform from beneath the brick.

' 18; 'A brick laying machine having a main frame traveling along the Wall, a brick supporting platform on the top of the wall, and means on said main frame for withdrawing the platform from under the brick, said platform having parallel rods arranged longitudinallyrfor supporting the brick.

19. A brick laying machine having means for'sprcading mortar onthe top of the wall, a withdrawable platform for temporariiy supporting the brick above and. adjacent to the mortar on the top of the Wall, and a set-- i ting bar for holding the brick while the while the plat .a withdrawn br sk} Pr s;

platform is being Withdrawn.

20. A brick laying machine having means for spreading mortar on the top of the Wall,

a Withdrawable platform for=temporarily' supporting the brick above and adjacent to the mortar on the top of the Wall, and a set ting bar for holding the brick While the platform is. being Withdrawn, said platform consisting of longitudinal rods. sup ported at the forward end, said rods being separated. whereby .theibrick may rest par tially 'upon the mortar When in position upon the platform,

21. A briok laying machine having a main frame traveling elon the wall, means on said frame for sprea ing mortar upon the top of the wall, n withdrawable platform for temporarily supporting the brick above and adjacent to. the mortar on the top of the wall, a setting correlating evices for causing thepartsfto operatein timed-relation.

frameftraveling along the: wall bar forpositioningthe brick ion im said rack, a

sai d rack' and bar for holding the br-ick' orm being withdrawn, and

'spi votefd membergal the next brick above. g

and brick laying, mach mai 'Iframe, a chute therein for t}; she get.

withdrawable platform for tom ora'rily supporting-the brick upon the wal, and a link work operated by said "rack for operating said platform. e

24. A brick laying machine having a main frame traveling along .the ,wall, a setting bar for positioning thel'brick lon' itudinally, a rack connected to said setting ar forop; era ting it, a pinion for operating said rac a withdrawable platform for temlporarilfi supporting the brick upon. the wal a lin work operated by said rack for operating said platform, said pinion being normally out of mesh with said rack, and means operated-by said pinion for bringing said rack into mesh with said pinion.

25. Ashrick laying machine having a main frame movable along the wall, means on said mainframe forspreadin mortar on the top 01 the wall, plates adJacent to the sides of the wall for retaining the mortar,

and means on said main frame for intermittently advancin said, side plates relatively to the main rame, a y

26. -A brick laying machine having mortar delivering means, brick setting means 'for positioning the brick longitudinal] on the Wall, a rack connected to said brie setting means and moving in synchronism therewith, and a gear wheel connected tosaid mortar delivering means for operatingliit,

out of. mesh, an only after it has completed a partmovement which it makesin syn with the movement of the brie means.

E (gear wheel being uman y the rack coining.into n'iiesi 27, A brick laying machine"h'aviiigiinbi -iJ tar delivering means, bricksetting-means, having a reciprocating movement relativelw. "to said mortar delivering means, a mic 1 "moving in synchronism with saidbr'ick setting means, and. a gear Wheel connecting with said rack to operate said mortar-delivering means, said gear wheel having'an overrunning clutch. whereby the" reciprounidirectional: action of the mortar" ing means.

.the'escape of the bricks, one'atetifrne,

in; nfi gw of ricks, and. escnpement mecha'ms for releasing the bricks one at'Iafitimegsaidi .128. A brick laying machine havihg' nn "immQ iymagazine thereimior the storage a ofbrioli$,-and a member pivotallyfmounted' j g; fi m"; (at the footof the magazinefor, .permitting 11 0' catory movement of-the. racky-producesj a escape'ment mechanism having two pivoted members at'opposite sides of the chute, said pivoted members having lingers for engagap mg the lowermost brick, one of said pivoted members havin .a shoulder which passesto the'hottoni of ti an brie-k above whenqthe pivotedmen'iber is1'ot'ated in a position to have'its finger withdrawn from the lower- 30$A brick laying lnacliine having a main frame, a chute therein for the storage 01.

bricks, and escapen'ient n'ieehanism for re leasing the bricks oneat a time, said eseapelnent ,n'leehanisi'n having two pivoted members rotating about. tiXe'd pivots at. opposite sides of the chute, said pivoted members -leasing the brieka, one at a time said eseapelnent lnechanisn'i having; two shafts on opposite sides of the chute, the uXers of the shafts being tixed relatively to the chute, pivoted niembere i'nount'ed upon said shaftas pivots, said pivoted members having linked connections whereby they are compelled to rotate in unison, said pivoted mombers having fingers for engaging the bottom of the. lowern'iost brick in the. chute, one of said pivoted members being adapted to .swing clear of the lowermost,- brick and the other pivoted member being located adjacent to the lowermost hrit'k and having a shoulder adapted to shove the lowermost brick. transversely to the ehute when the pivoted member of which it is a part is rotated in a direction to withdraw its finger from the lowermost brie-k, said shoulder simultaneously swinging, into the chute at a point beneath the second brick for supporting the latter after the lowermost brick has been released. I

32. A brick laying machine having a rhute for the bricks, escapen'ient mechanism for releasing" the bricks one at a time, a trigger for operating said eseapen'ient mechttlllHtlt, said trigger being" yieldable in; one direction and non-yieldaile in the other, and means reeiprmaiting relatively to said .SCillKilllHlli llli i. t rig grer.

iii-t1; brieI-L laying machine having a i-hnugtor the bricks, esoapenient mechanism for releasing the bricks one at a time, a re eiprocatingz tappet for actuating said esunpenieni' mechanism. and :neanswith respect; to which the tzappet. inovable for auto matizali v bringing said tappet into nonaeting position. i

3 i. A brick laying; machine, having rods ex tending longitmlinalty to form a temporary support for the brick, a cross bar to which the forward end of said rods is fastened, and a mortar spoutdelivering-onto the wall behiinl said cross bar, the moutl'i of the spout being; level with the top of the rods, whereby the rods serve to gage the thickness Ul ither lllfil'till bed upon the top of the wall. i

seribed anyna'i'ne.

JOHN THOMSQN.

anisn'i for operating said- In vittnets whereof, I have hereunto sub 

